With you
by mtranc3
Summary: An alternative ending to episode 22 - the one in which Sebastian disappeared.


**Title:** With you  
**Author:** mtranc3  
**Pairing:** Sebastian/Ciel  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary:** An alternative ending to episode 22 (the one where Sebastian disappeared)  
**Warnings:** Un'beta'd  
**Disclaimer:** The characters depicted herein are property of Toboso Yana. No copyright infringement in intended and no profit is being made.

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Was that man joking? Wanting Ciel's ring in exchange for accommodation in his wretched inn... Ciel was absolutely fuming which at the moment suited him fine, because he knew that if he wasn't overwhelmed by resentment he'd have to start thinking of his predicament and he wasn't quite prepared for that yet.

A street lamp illuminated a path to his right and Ciel decide that it would have to do. At least he wouldn't be sitting in the dark. As he approached the circle of light underneath the lamp, he noticed that there were a few people leaning against the wall hidden in the shadows. A nervous anticipation overcame him and he tried to fathom whether it would be wiser to turn the other way and leave or stay there and ignore them. Before he could he act on either though, two of the men approached him lazily and when they took his appearance in, they smirked. Something awful twisted in Ciel's stomach and he turned slowly and started walking the opposite way.

"Not so fast, kid" one of the men said while the other grabbed Ciel by his collar. Ciel twisted throwing the man's arm off. He balled his fists and stared at them, disgust and weariness etched on his face.

"Look Pier, what we got here..." A third man came out of the shadows. Ciel couldn't help grimacing at his face which was covered in scars, distorting his expression. He approached his fellow thugs and as if in silent agreement, they circled around Ciel.

"What could a rich boy be doing in this part of town?" the man with the scars asked looking terribly amused.

"I don't have any money on me so you're wasting your time" Ciel said trying to keep the tremour out of his voice.

"We'll be the judge of that" the first man said, and grabbed Ciel's cape tearing it off his shoulders. Ciel moved backwards until his back found the wall. There was nowhere he could run and even if he found an opening, he wasn't sure he could outrun them since he was exhausted from walking all day on an empty stomach.

He didn't realize that he was nervously turning his ring on his fingers, but one of the men noticed and nodded to the other two.

"And here we thought that we'd have to take your clothes and boots when you do have something of interest..."

Ciel shook his head in panic. "The ring," Pier demanded, "give it here."

Ciel covered his hand automatically. What was it with everyone and this ring? he thought frantically. He wouldn't give it up... he couldn't. But these men didn't seem to be kidding around.

"It's a family heirloom" he said hoping against hope that they would leave him alone.

"You have to pay somehow since you wasted so much of our time... The ring, or your life. What will it be kid?" The man stood in front of Ciel, taking a knife out of his pocket and pointing to Ciel's neck as if to emphasize his words.

Ciel swallowed hard and closed his eyes. Sebastian's sombre face came unbidden to his mind. If the traitor hadn't left Ciel in some idiotic gesture of kindness, none of this would have happened. Ciel wouldn't currently be pushed up against a wall in some god forsaken town by three riffraffs threatening to cut his throat. Bloody Sebastian! Ciel winced realizing this wasn't the time to be thinking of his servant who could evidently so easily forget about him... And yet... an idea flashed in his panicked mind. It certainly wouldn't hurt trying he thought and raised his hand as if to give the ring to the man who was now smirking in anticipation.

Instead, Ciel's hand flew to his eyepatch raising it and before the man could register what was going on, Ciel screamed with all the strength he could gather.

"Sebastian! Come! It's an order!"

When nothing happened the men stared at eachother for a few moments before dissolving into giggles.

"What's wrong with this kid?" Pier said still laughing. The other two shrugged and they all started laughing afresh.

When the general mirth subsided, Pier approached Ciel and didn't bother with the knife this time; He grabbed his neck and pulled him up. Ciel felt all breath leaving his body and tried to dislodge Pier's hand. Pier snickered at Ciel's feeble attempt to fight back and delivered a hard punch to his stomach.

"That should teach you to respect your elders!" he barked. Ciel was sure that blood was filling his mouth though when he swallowed, he realized it was only his saliva. The pain was excruciating. "Sebastian..." he mumbled.

"Now for the ring..." the man said and tried to reach with his other hand Ciel's fingers.

"No," Ciel croaked "please..."

He felt the ring slipping from his gloved finger and tears prickled his eyes.

Pier released him and turned to his thugs holding the ring up. "How much do you thing the old pawner will give for it?"

He examined it in the light and then proceeded to wear it in his little finger.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" a voice said from the shadows.

Ciel raised his head in disbelief. It couldn't be... he thought, his heart beating wildly in his chest as he watched the newcomer step out of the shadows.

"Seba-" he tried to call, but gulped harshly at the pain in his abdomen.

"Who the fuck are you?"

Sebastian ignored the question while Ciel stared at him in wonder. He was so sure he wouldn't be seeing his butler's face again, and now there he was, standing a few feet away.

"Young master, are you alright?" he asked his gaze never wavering from Pier's face.

Ciel was still clutching his belly, but tried to straighten up. "Yes. Get my ring back."

"As you command." Sebastian said, while the men looked at the exchange with confused amusement.

"So you're the one the kid was calling for earlier, ha?" Pier said and laughed. "What are you, a servant bodyguard? Sorry, but I think I rather like this ring."

As if silently summoned, his two thugs came closer and cracked their knuckles threateningly.

"This ring," Sebastian explained patiently, though his eyes were shooting flames at the three men, "is a very special ring. It belongs to the head of the Phantomhive family of each generation and thus cannot adorn any other hand."

Pier smiled unpleasantly and he raised his little finger up; "Oh, I wouldn't know about that. It looks fine to me."

A sudden, swift puff of air brushed him and the next time he blinked the ring was out of his hand. Sebastian was leaning against the wall, an amused expression on his face.

"How did he...?" one of the men asked.

"It doesn't matter" said Pier and took out his knife again. He walked towards Sebastian but after a couple of steps changed direction and loomed upon Ciel, pointing the knife once more at his throat. "The ring or the kid-" he couldn't finish his sentence though, as something kicked him between the legs seemingly out of nowhere. Sebastian grabbed Ciel and jumped backwards, distancing them from the thieves.

The two men helped Pier up and one of them started shaking his head frantically. "It's no ordinary man, boss, let's get out of here..."

Pier pushed them away and searched for Ciel and Sebastian. When he spotted them, he raised his knife and threw it with perfect accuracy towards the duo. Sebastian simply rose his hands and caught it between his palms. The thugs took a few steps back. "It's impossible..." said Pier.

"Allow me to return this..." Sebastian called, and send the knife flying until it lodged itself on the wall a few millimeters beside Pier's ear. After a couple of shocked moments, Pier pulled his knife from the wall and with a nod to the other two, retreated in the shadows.

Sebastian smirked and dusted off his hands. "I don't think these gentlemen will be coming back" he said lightly. Ciel next to him was all but shaking. Not from fright, but because he couldn't decide if he was angrier or relieved at seeing his butler again.

"Do you have _any _idea what I've been through...?" he whispered slowly, his voice holding a menacing tone.

The butler finally turned to look at him. "That wasn't my intention."

"Then what was your intention?" Ciel lashed out. "Why did you leave me? Without so much as an explanation?"

Sebastian lowered his eyes. He seemed rather unhappy which while not going unnoticed by Ciel, didn't earn him any sympathy points.

"It became evident to me these last few days that... that the young master would be better off without me..."

"_What_?" Ciel asked incredulously. "What do you mean better off...? Did this," he gestured to the direction the men left, "seem as I was having a good time?!"

"This... was rather unfortunate." Sebastian admitted. "But I actually meant young masters' future. The policeman was rather right; you do have an opportunity to grasp your future... I was the only thing in the way."

"So you were thinking about my wellbeing, were you?! Ciel asked, his voice getting more desperate by the minute.

Sebastian bowed his head. "I was thinking about... your happiness. Despite what the young master may think, _that_ had always been my priority."

Ciel's eyes widened and tears threatened to spill out. He had been though an awful turmoil since that morning; he was convinced that he had been abandoned and almost lost his life by some thugs, and now for Sebastian to appear in front of him....saying these things... it was too much for him to take, and his bottled emotions finally spilled out.

"Idiot, you idiot," he screamed and banged his balled fists against Sebastian's chest, "you big idiot! What part of you thought I'd be better off without you? Happiness? You had my happiness in mind and that's why you left me? Happy...? How could you think I'd be happy when you..." his voice faltered by the effort to keep back his tears.

"You're my servant, you're supposed to be there when I call you, you promised me that you'd always be by my side... until the end... Weren't these your words? Were you lying when you said them? Are you leaving me like everyone else did? My parents... my aunt... that stupid policeman... why? Were you bored with me? Didn't we have a deal? I would keep my word, I would give you my soul, all you had to do was be there for me, always. What went wrong Sebastian? Tell me!" Ciel's energy left him and his fists barely touched Sebastian. He could barely stand up, his head bowed and clutching Sebastian by his waistcoat. By now the tears had spilt out and were marking paths down his cheeks.

"I wasn't lying. I wish for nothing more than to stay by your side." Sebastian said unhappily. "But the policeman was right; you still have a chance to make your future a bright one. I don't belong there. I am but a piece of the darkened part of your soul and eventually when your thirst for revenge withered, you would leave me behind. Because I would always remind you of the things that were unclean, impure, that weigh down your heart, and these things would have no place in your new life. I would have no place in your new life."

"No," Ciel said shaking his head, "no... it's not like that. If you thought that I would embrace a new life by giving up my past then you don't know me at all Sebastian! Even if I dont want to cling on my hatred anymore I _never_ want to forget. My past has brought me here has made me who I am, and I don't want to escape it for some false sense of security. I hope I'll never be that weak! And if you don't want to follow me from now on, then... then I'll follow you! Even if you go to the very depths of hell! We had a deal, Sebastian! Don't break it so easily... if you say you wish to stay with me then do so!

"Young master..."

Ciel ignored Sebastian and continued feverishly.

"Remember that camera? The one which showed one's most important person? It wasn't my parents or Elizabeth or even the Queen. It was _you_!" Ciel looked up even though his cheeks burned and Sebastian would see it, but he didn't care anymore.

"So how can you say you can't be part of my life anymore? Stop lying!" he screamed. "If you are tired of me just say so! Don't say you care for me so you have to leave me behind! What kind of caring is that anyway? Tell me!"

Sebastian kneeled down so he could be leveled with Ciel's face. He delicately wiped the tears off his face. His attention fell on his master's tie and he frowned, moving to tie it up properly. Ciel cupped his hands and pushed them down.

"Your tie... young master."

"It's 'Ciel'," he whispered listlessly, "enough with this stupid game. Win, lose, it doesn't matter any more. All that matters is what one has in his hands here and now. And I kind of thought I had you...".

"Ciel..." the sound of his name made Ciel raise his eyes. "Ciel, you don't have to cry anymore." Sebastian cupped his face with his hands.

"There was a time when I was certain I would keep my end of the bargain to have your soul in the end. After all, it's a demon's way. But... I don't think I care about the contract anymore, I found that I could be something akin to content just being by your side. Fighting for you. Protecting you, and moreover, make you delicious deserts..".

Ciel smiled a little hopefully at that, a small light shining in his eyes.

"If you still insist that you want to me to do that... then I shall... out of my free will".

Ciel then nodded his head, turning serious. "I want you to do that. I want you with me. Sebastian."

Sebastian closed his eyes in an affirmative way and slowly took off his glove. The pentagram on the back of his palm vibrated strongly. He place it over Ciel's right eye and whispered: "I hereby give up my end of the agreement out of my free will and with clear conscience. Ciel Phantomhive is no longer bound by a demonic contract; he can pursue his life in whatever manner he chooses. Excedo!"

The seal in Ciel's eye lit up, making Ciel gasp. It felt like it was growing bigger and bigger, as if it wanted to swallow him up. And as quickly as it rose, it suddenly imploded and disappeared, leaving behind Ciel's bright blue iris. Ciel blinked a couple of times and turned his head to Sebastian expectantly. Sebastian gave him a small smile and removed his hands from his face.

"And now what?" Ciel asked, sounding exhausted.

"And now I grow old and ugly..."

Ciel laughed. "Be careful, you sound like Grell."

Sebastian mocked affront.

"Besides... you could never be ugly, not to me..." Ciel mumbled, looking pointedly on his right and missing Sebastian's smile.

"Then I shall go forth and prepare a pudding the likes of which you've never tasted before... And some red tea to go with it, I think. After we go back of course."

Ciel rolled his eyes. He was going to say something but all air left his lungs as Sebastian pulled him forward and touched his lips on his forehead.

His insides went instantly cold. Is that a.... kiss? he thought panicking and his heart pounded frantically in his chest But then a warm current flooded his veins, a calmness that could only be Sebastian's. Ciel understood; that was how Sebastian was telling him to not be afraid and that they would be fine.

Ciel smiled and leaned it. For once, his future was looking bright.

The End


End file.
